Adyson

While theoretically unisex, this surname name has been edging up the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> list, perhaps originally as an Ashley substitute. 

One quality in Ainsley's favor: It's remained steadily popular -- but not TOO popular -- for more than 20 years now, ranking consistently around Number 400. That makes it stylish and familiar without showing up everywhere.

Ainsley

Ashley alternative climbing up the baby names charts, probably due to the trendy ley/leigh ending and its similar-but-different status to the more popular Ainsley.

Ansley

Archer is among the next wave of masculine-leaning occupational names rediscovered for girls.

Archer

Names that have not historically been names are not intrinsically gendered, so though we originally pinned Arrow as a boys' name, both starbaby Arrows that have been born recently have been girls. And with Arrow given to 60 girls in the US in 2015 and 94 boys, we call that a pretty decidedly <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">gender neutral name</a>. With its forward-moving, true-landing imagery, Arrow is one of the new inspirational names.

Arrow

Asher is of course a very popular Biblical boys' name, but Australian actress Asher Keddie puts this in the girls' column too. Nearly 70 baby girls were named Asher in one recent year, about 1 percent of the total babies given the name. But if you've always loved Ashley and fear that now it's outdated, you might look to Asher as a worthy substitute.

Asher

A Top 100 name among boys, but a rare option for a girl. The French female form is Axelle (emphasis on the "elle").

Axel

A classic in its native Scandinavia, Axel has a cool rock 'n' roll flavor in the US, thanks to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose (born William). With its distinctive letter 'x', it has an effortlessly cool vibe about it, and is currently growing in popularity.
 
Axel is the Scandinavian form of the Biblical Absalom, who was a son of King David, and is the name of the title character of William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom. More wearable than its derivation, perhaps, Axel is currently ranks in the Top 100 names for boys in the US, the UK, Sweden, France, Spain, and Norway. 
 In the US, it first entered the popularity charts in 1989, one year after the release of one of Guns N' Roses biggest hits, showing just how influential popular culture can can be.
 More recently, Axel was chosen by Will Ferrell for his third son, and also by Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson for their boys, and it's the middle name of Tiger Woods' boy Charlie. Axel Foley was the character played by Eddie Murphy in the Beverly Hills Cop movies and, going further back again, was the name of an important character in Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. 
 
A bit like a updated Alex, Axel was given to 4500 babies in the US in 2023, so if it was an undiscovered gem you were after, you could consider Absalom itself, or perhaps another Scandinavian option, such as Anker, Konrad, Torfinn, or Torkell.

Putting the emphasis on the "elle" softens a name that seems at once futuristic and medieval.

Axelle

There are a surprising number of baby boys named Barrett each year in the US -- nearly 1800 -- along with 30 baby girls. Which is more than many people might guess.

Barrett does have an appealing combination of strength -- the barr or bear part -- and softness that can work for a child of any gender.

Barrett

Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, updating the 80s darlings Blake and Ashley.

Blakeley

A decade or two ago, we might have stopped with Blake, but today the surname Blakely or Blakeley sounds more modern as a first name.

Blakely

Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter Blakesley. These surname-names are among the most stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.

Bobbi

Vintage nickname for Roberta or Barbara, most famously borne by Roberta "Bobbie" in Edith Nesbit's classic The Railway Children.

Bobbie

Music legend David Bowie lends his adopted surname considerable charisma to this stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/472/scottish-names-for-girls">Scottish name for girls</a> and boys. Born David Robert Jones, he changed his name to avoid confusion with The Monkees' Davy Jones. 

Another famous reference: Jim Bowie, an American hero of the Alamo, and the bowie knife's namesake. 

With girls answering to musically-inspired surnames like Marley and Lennon, Bowie has slowly started to appear on girls' birth certificates, too. Actor Jackson Rathbone has a daughter called Presley Bowie, and Dale DeHaan and Anna Wood named their daughter Bowie Rose.

Bowie

Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.

Carson

Cyane is a mythological Sicilian nymph who lived in a pool and whose name is an intriguing twist on the color name trend. 

Cyane

Dorothea is a flowing and romantic Victorian-sounding name which was popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, but has been off the charts since 1970. Definitely on the brink of a revival!
 Dorothea has had a long literary tradition, including as a clever, beautiful character in Don Quixote and the idealistic heroine of George Eliot's Middlemarch.
 Worthy namesakes include Dorothea Dix, nineteenth century activist for the mentally ill and Civil War nurse, and the influential documentary photographer Dorothea Lange, known for her moving portraits taken during the Great Depression.
 Appealing nickname possibilities include Dorrie, Doro, Dodie, Dot, Dottie and Thea.

Dorothea

In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But parents today seeking a quiet classic are bringing Dorothy back—she reentered the Top 1000 in 2011 after almost completely disappearing.
 Dorothy was once one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> in the US; she was in the Top 10 from 1904 to 1939, and held the Number 2 spot for eight years.
 Dorothy has been used in Britain since the sixteenth century and was so common there that nickname Dolly led to the word "doll." Many Brits are reviving the cute nickname Dot or Dottie.
 There are numerous worthy Dorothy namesakes, including essayist and wit Dorothy Parker; writer Dorothy L. Sayers; journalist Dorothy Thomson; social activist Dorothy Day; actresses Dorothy Gish, Dandridge, McGuire, and Lamour; and figure skater/haircut icon Dorothy Hamill. Actress Faye Dunaway was born Dorothy.
 Some parents now are favoring the more flowing, romantic variant Dorothea.

Dorothy

Dottie and Dot are old Dorothy nicknames that some cutting-edge Brits are bringing back to fashion. It's been half a century since Dottie ranked on its own in this country, one of those nickname names that flourished in the 1890's.
 Probably the most prominent bearer of the name was the seminal country music singer Dottie West--born Dorothy, of course. In the movie A League of Their Own, Geena Davis's leading character Dottie Hinson was based on real life women's pro baseball player Dottie Kamenshek.
 Dot can make an adorable middle name--if your last name isn't Com.

Dottie

Elis

Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no matter how many little girls are named Lizzie, Eliza, and Beth, you can still make Elizabeth your own. 
 
Elizabeth is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheva, formed by the components ’el, meaning "God," and shava’, "oath." In the Bible, Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist, and two of England's most notable queens have been Elizabeth I and II. Another memorable bearer was Elizabeth Taylor—who hated to be called Liz.
 
Elizabeth nicknames on the table today include Libby, Bess, Tibby, and even the so-antiquated-it's-cool Betty. Also in play is the fashionable Eliza along with Lilibet, Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname more recently used by Prince Harry and wife Meghan for their daughter, Lilibet Diana. 
 
Author and publishing magnate Zibby Owens introduced her zippy Elizabeth nickname to the ever-lengthening list of variations.
 
There has been only one year since 1880 that Elizabeth slipped one place below the Top 25, and that was in 1945—when Betty was Number 11. Today, it holds fast as one of the most classic and usable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/e">girl names starting with E</a>.
 The Elisabeth spelling, found in several cultures, is represented by such notables as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth Shue, Elisabeth Moss, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. 
Elisabeth is nicknamed Bethsy in Buddenbrooks, Bep in The Diary of Anne Frank, and Betsy in Wolverine.

Elizabeth

This was a 100 percent <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> until celebs Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon bestowed it on their daughter, recently followed by Lisa Marie Presley, who used it for one of her (female) twins. Finlay is also now among the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a>. 
At the most recent count, Finley was given 57 percent of the time to girls and 43 percent to boys, close enough to make it one of the truly gender neutral names.

Finley

The most enduringly popular hero of Irish myth was Finn McCool, whose name is one of the coolest ever. When used for the female protagonist of How to Make an American Quilt, it established its hipness for girls as well.

Finn

Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity. 
 Finn was chosen by cool couple Christy Turlington and Ed Burns for their son, and also by Jane Leeves and Autumn Reeser. Played by Cory Monteith prior to his death, Finn Hudson was a prominent character on Glee.
Other up-and-comers in the same family: Finlay and Finley, Finian and Finnian, Finnegan and Finnigan, and, from Germany, Fynn.

A winning last-name-first Celtic choice, Flynn is still mostly used for boys, such as the son of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr. Though Flynn is definitely one of the Irish surname names, from Quinn to Flannery to Makenna, that makes one of the trendy <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/79/boy-names-for-girls">boy names for girls"</a>.

Flynn

Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.

Grace is one of the most luminous of names, recalling the cool elegance of Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. Embraced by Americans of the Victorian era, it was the eleventh most popular name in this country in 1875 and has always ranked among the Top 1000 girl names.

Currently, Grace is the Number 1 girls’ name in Ireland, and ranks highly in other English-speaking countries. In the US, it’s one of the most popular one-syllable middle names for girls.
 
Grace is derived from gratia, the Latin word for "grace." It existed as Gracia in the Middle Ages but was not in common use until the Puritans adopted it along with other Christian attribute names in the sixteenth century. It was used as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/373/virtue-names">virtue name</a>, in reference to divine grace — the love and kindness of God.
 
If Grace is too overused for you, consider an international variation like Engracia or Graziella. Some parents have even migrated into the gender neutral camp in search of Grace equivalents such as Gray or Grayson or even Gracelyn. Choosing the nickname Gracie for the birth certificate is a popular option.

Grace

Gwen

Hadley, most famous as the name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, is more sophisticated, professional, and modern than cousins Harley, Haley, or Hayden. 

The hit book The Paris Wife, a novel by Paula McLain told from the point of view of Hadley Hemingway (born Elizabeth Hadley Richardson), has helped popularize the name, which also appears on the vampire show True Blood. Hadley could become this generation's Hailey.

Adley, a mashup of Hadley and Addie, has also appeared on the scene.

Hadley

Halo is a glowing word name that's both cosmic and spiritual, and with its shiny imagery and bright sounds, it was one of the fasted rising names in 2023. 

The word "halo" has been used in English since the 1500s, and is defined as a circle of light, usually around the sun, moon, or other luminous bodies, created when light interacts with ice crystals in the atmosphere. The word derived from the Ancient Greek "hálōs" and means "disk". 

In the sacred sense, it replaced "glory" in the 17th century as the term for divine light, and refers the a circle shown round the head of a holy person, saint, or angel, to symbolise their holiness. 

Halo wasn't used as a name until the 19th century, but it took until the 2000s before it was given to any substantial amount of babies in the US. The video game series "Halo" bolstered the name up the charts throughout the 2000s, and it has continued to climb throughout the 2010s, finally entering the Top 1000 in 2019.
 
Nick Cannon welcomed daughter called Halo Marie with Alyssa Scott in 2022, which may well have contributed to its jump up the charts in 2023. 
 
Given to over 500 baby girls, and a not insubstantial 120 boys in the US, Halo is a space-age virtue name with lots of potential. Sharing sounds with Hazel, Hayes, and Harlowe, and the vibes of Stella, Genesis, and Eden, it makes for a bold choice that won't sound too out of place in a 21st century classroom.

Halo

Once a macho biker name, Harley is now showing its softer side. In the UK, Harley is predominantly masculine, but it's currently more popular for girls than boys in the US.
 Along with Harper and Hadley, we think it will climb even further. In England, it's associated with Harley Street, home to some of London's most prominent medical specialists.
 A famous fictional namesake is Batman's Harley Quinn, "born" Harleen Quinzel. DC Comics movie Suicide Squad from 2016 was probably part of the reason for the increase in the number of girls named Harley. Harley Cooper was a character who was introduced on the soap The Guiding Light in 1987—that Harley was named after her father's favorite motorcycle.

Harley

Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had in mind when they gave their daughters the distinctive surname name Harlow. 
 It hit the Top 1000 for the first time in 2009, one year after the arrival of Ms. Madden. Harlow would fit right in with contemporaries Arlo and Marlow(e).

Harlow

Harvest has been occasionally used as a name since the eighteenth century, originally as evenly unisex, but in the US data for last year was starting to lean more female, given to 29 girls and 11 boys. Harvest can be seen as pleasantly archaic, rich and ripe, fitting in with <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> like Harper and Harry, and is also a fresh take on names like Autumn and August and one of the best <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/351/names-for-autumn-babies">names for autumn babies</a>.

Harvest

In the USA, Hattie is one of those nicknames that is now more popular than its parent name, Harriet. In England, however, Harriet is still by far more popular than Hattie, while in Australia, Harriet is highly popular while no data exists on Hattie. In the US, we’d like to see Harriet get more usage but we’re happy to see Hattie again.
 Hattie was popular at the end of the nineteenth century, in the Top 50 from 1880 to 1900, along with other similar nickname names like Lottie and Letty. It fell off the list in 1969, to return in 2011, the year of Hattie McDermott's birth.
 Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American to be awarded an Academy Award, in 1940, for her role in Gone With the Wind. Hattie was the name of the sweet, simple protagonist in Woody Allen's 1999 film Sweet and Lowdown; Hattie (born Henriette) Carnegie was a well-known twentieth century fashion designer.

Hattie

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
 
Hazel is a name that comes from the English word hazel, referring to the hazelnut tree. The word was derived from the Old English hæsel of the same meaning. Historically, a wand of hazel symbolized protection and authority.
 
When Julia Roberts named one of her twins Hazel in 2004, there was a great public outcry against "another one of those nutty celebrity names", though we saw it as the deserved revival of a lovely vintage name with roots in nature. Hazel was one of the botanicals that were all the rage at the turn of the twentieth century, when it was in the Top 25, then fell out of favor, off the list completely from 1976 to 1998.
 
Other celebrities with daughters named Hazel include Emily Blunt & John Krasinski, and Taylor Neisen & Liev Schreiber.
 
Hazel Motes is the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's 1952 novel Wise Blood, and In The Hunger Games, one of the characters is the variant Hazelle. But the most influential Hazel of recent years is the heartrending heroine of Fault in Our Stars.

Hazel

The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.
 Ivy is derived from the name of the ivy plant, which got its name from the Old English word ifig. Ancient Greeks presented an ivy wreath to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity. In the language of flowers, Ivy signifies faithfulness.
 British novelist Ivy Compton-Burnett is a notable namesake and Ivy Baker Priest served as U.S. Secretary of Treasury. Another association is the prestigious Ivy League. 
Ivy has been a favorite of scriptwriters—she's appeared on everything from 90210 to Gossip Girl, Dollhouse to Downton Abbey, and is the name of a 1970's American Girl doll.

From obscure male biblical boy's name to unisex favorite, Jadon/Jaden, in all its variations, has had a meteoric rise in popularity, building on Jade and Jada, plus the trendy en ending. 

Jaden

Take away the Mac and what do you have? Rather than "son of Kenneth," the meaning becomes simply Kenneth, which in itself means son of fire or handsome.

In the US, the name Kenzie peaked for girls about ten years ago. There are still plenty of baby girls named Kenzie, though: More than 500, versus only nine baby boys.
 
Mackenzie peaked earlier, around the turn of the century, but seems to have more staying power. It still ranks among the Top 200 names for baby girls in the US, used for more than 2000 baby girls last year.

Kenzie

This diminutive of Kimberley is gaining momentum as a standalone name. For our part, we're stumped by its rise.

Kimber

A Scottish surname name, more popular as the Presidential McKinley, meaning "son of the fair hero".

Kinley also feels like a modern invention, ala Kenzie or Kimbry. Kinley peack in 2011-12, when it was in the Top 200, and now has fallen to the lower half of the girls' Top 1000.

If you're looking for a less common girls' name, that may be a plus.

Kinley

Kinsey enjoyed popularity blip thanks to similarity to Lindsay, and because of Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries heroine, Kinsey Millhone. Now, Kinsley has become more popular than Kinsey.

Kinsey

Light and glittery, but with plenty of spirit, Kinsley has risen quickly into the US Top 100. Balanced between preppy and cutesy, it feels like a fresh alternative to Kelly, Kaitlyn, or Kimberly. 
Derived from an Old English place name, Kinsley is a modern American choice, meaning “the king’s meadow” or “the clearing belonging to royalty.” 
Used almost exclusively as a surname up until the 90s, Kinsley didn’t fully enter the mainstream until 2005. Since then, it’s climbed up the charts and is now given to 3000 girls – and to a small handful of boys – each year. 
With its crisp sounds and distinctive K initial, Kinsley has appealed to several celebrities. Ice hockey star Ryan Kesler, snowboarder Steve Klassen, the YouTuber Kaylie Varney, Chance the Rapper, and musician Travis Clark have chosen the name for their daughters. 
Other notable namesakes include the beauty influencer Kinsley Deborrah, and the heroine of The Alphabet Mysteries series, written by Sue Grafton. 
While Kinsley may rank lower on Nameberry charts than it does in the US, it has been chosen for a Babyberry! You can <a href=“ https://nameberry.com/blog/how-i-named-my-baby-kinsley-arin”>read all about her name here</a> for some real life experience of choosing it. 
A current favorite among American parents, and more recently in Canada too, Kinsley blends sweetness and spark. If you enjoy the name, but want something less on trend however, you could try Kerrigan, Keeley, Kizzie, Keziah, or even Tesni.

Kinsley

Kit is a crisp, old-time nickname with plenty of spirit and style. In the UK it's a rising star for boys, while in the US, it is trending upwards for girls too. Originally used as a diminutive of Katherine and Christopher, Kit could make a cool alternative to Katie, or an unexpected honor name for the aforementioned classics. 
 
Coinciding with the name for a young fox, Kit feels at home with the likes Wren and Quinn — and with fast risers like Scottie, Robin, and Drew. In 2023, around 130 girls received the name compared to 180 boys. 
The year prior, however, the scales were tilted the other way, with 160 girls and 140 boys receiving the name. With its unisex potential then, and its sharp, clear sounds, Kit may well see more use across the board in coming years. 
 <
Love the idea of Kit for a girl but still want a full name that isn't Katherine or Christina? You could try Kallista, Kensington, Keturah, Kismet, Kinneret, or Katalina.

This somewhat snobby-sounding surname popped onto the name map when Mariel Hemingway used it for one of her daughters. 

Langley

Littie

The adorable diminutive Livie is most often a short form of the popular Olivia and may also be spelled Livvy, Livvie, or Livi. But occasionally it may be short for the separate Ancient Roman name Livia or the Scandinavian Liv, both of which have different roots and meanings.

Livie

Originally inspired as by eighties TV actress Mackenzie Phillips, parents since have flocked to Mackenzie for their daughters. Now a staple All-American choice, Mackenzie has ranked in the US Top 1000 for nearly 50 years.
 
Mackenzie originates from the Scottish surname which itself an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich. Coinnich is one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth meaning "handsome, beautiful, comely". 
 
As a given name, Mackenzie was once rare in the US, first appearing in the stats in 1973 — the year Mackenzie Phillips began her acting career — when it was given to just six girls. Three years later, it was nearly 30 times more popular and in the Top 1000. 
 
Notable bearers of the name include singer and dancer Mackenzie Ziegler, Australian soccer player Mackenzie "Macca" Arnold, actress Mackenzie Davis, martial artist Mackenzie Dern, and actress Mackenzie Foy. 
 
Currently in the Top 100 in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, it has seen a decline in the US since it peaked in 2001, when it reached #40. It is still given to around 1740 girls each year however — and, when you consider it with Mckenzie, Makenzie, and just Kenzie, you're looking at 3500 girls with sound-alike names. This could make it feel like a Top 100 name, ranking similarly to Natalie, Josephine, Sophie and Leilani. 
 
Alternatives ideas based on Mackenzie could be Kensington, Mckinley, Kenina, Murphy, Marlowe, Zaylee, Keeva, or Maxie.

Mackenzie

Maizie

In a wave of vintage nickname revivals, cutesy Maisie — traditionally a nickname for Margaret or Mary — has been rising fast in recent years. And along for the ride are spelling variations Maisy and Mazie. Mazie recently entered the US Top 1000 in 2023, and while this spelling may seem the most modern, Mazie actually charted every year up until 1944.

Mazie

Used quietly on boys in the US since the early 20th century, Mckenzie was abruptly overtaken by the Mackenzie spelling back in 1973 when actress Mackenzie Phillips introduced the name as a possibility for girls. While Mckenzie has never matched its sibling spelling in popularity, it nevertheless climbed the charts in its wake, peaking in 2000 at #133.
 
Originally a Scottish surname, Mckenzie is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich, Coinnich being one Gaelic form Kenneth. As a feminine name, it didn't appear in the US stats until 1975 and it first entered nearly 10 years later, in 1984. 
 
Given to around 710 girls in a recent year, Mckenzie is less than half as popular as Mackenzie, however when they are considered together with Makenzie and Kenzie too, nearly 3500 girls receive these sound-alike names, which could make them feel as popular as Top 100 names, such as Sophie, Addison, Leilani, or Josephine.

Mckenzie

This ready-for-revival nickname name recalls the old Gay Nineties and bicycles-built-for-two era. In the US, Nellie is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/unique">most popular unique girl names</a>, lying just beneath the Top 1000. About five times as many baby girls are named Nellie in the US today as shorter form Nell. 

Nellie is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/sweden">top girl names in Sweden</a>.

Nellie

Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/o">girl names starting with O</a> on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen. 
Olive has positive associations to the olive branch as a symbol of peace and the ancient olive wreath that celebrated success.
 Olive was the name of the adorable Abigail Breslin character in the popular movie Little Miss Sunshine. Olive Chancellor is a major character in Henry James's The Bostonians and Olive Kitteridge is a Pulitzer Prize-winning Elizabeth Strout novel that was adapted into a TV miniseries in 2014. Kids might be familiar with Olive the Other Reindeer.
 Olive came into fashion at the end of the nineteenth century along with other botanical names, when it had a run in the Top 100.

Olive

Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is the Number 1 name for baby girls in the US and one of the top girls' names around the world. 
 
Olivia ranks among the Top 10 girls' names in several English-speaking countries as well as in Spain, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Argentina. And it's a Top 100 name in most countries that keep baby-naming statistics, making it an internationally flexible choice. 
Records of the name Olivia exist from as far back as 13th century England, but the name was popularized after Shakespeare used it for the name of the countess in Twelfth Night. Olivia is based on the Latin word oliva, meaning "olive." In ancient Greece, the olive was a symbol of Athena as well as a token of peace and fertility, and olive wreaths were awarded to the winners at the Olympic games. 
 
Olivia has been a popular celebrity baby name for fifteen years, and has also been a well-used TV character name, such as in Olivia Benson on Law & Order SVU and the recent powerful lead Olivia Pope on Scandal.
 
Golden Age star Olivia de Havilland was influential in bringing the name to U.S. attention, followed by Olivia Newton-John, and now we have Olivias Wilde, Munn, Rodrigo, Colman and Williams.
 If you love <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a>, Olivia might be the perfect choice for you, but parents in search of a distinctive name will have to keep looking. Some related alternatives: Olive, Livia, Liv.

Olivia

Ollie is used less often as a nickname for the mega-popular Olivia or the stylish Olive than Ellie is for Eleanor or Allie for Allison. That may be because Ollie has a much longer use as a nickname for boys. 

Still, 106 baby girls were given the name Ollie on their birth certificates in the US in 2023, ten more than the previous year. And back around the turn of the last century, it was even a Top 100 name for girls.

Ollie

Ever since singer Michelle Branch gave it to her daughter in 2005, Owen has started to be used for a small number of girls each year as well. Just 39 baby girls received the name in 2021, compared with over 8700 boys.

Owen

For a name related to a Scottish town, a patterned Indian fabric, and a country singer named Brad, Paisley has seen remarkable success. After appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, it is now an American favorite. 
Deriving from a Scottish surname and town near Glasglow, Paisley means “church” or “cemetery.” It has been given to a tiny handful of girls each year since the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the late 2000s that it had any significant usage. 
 
Then, between 2010 and 2015, the number of girls named Paisley quadrupled, and it entered the US Top 50. 
 
So what did make Paisley so popular? Perhaps parents drew inspiration from the American country singer, Brad Paisley, who’s dueted with Dolly. Maybe the 2009 appearance of ‘Peppermint Paisley’ on the controversial TV show “Toddlers and Tiaras” turned some heads?
 
Or perhaps it simply emerged as a fresh spin on both Ashley and Paige, the once popular choices that were falling rapidly out of style?
 
However it made its way to the charts, Paisley remains in the US Top 100 and is given to over 4000 girls each year. Athlete Jennie Finch, The Guns ‘n’ Roses musician Richard Fortus, and the actress Gabrielle Anwar are among those who have chosen Paisley for their daughters. 
 
Nameberry users tend not to share this love of Paisley and it ranks outside the <a href=“https://nameberry.com/popular-names/nameberry/girls/allNameberry Top 1000”> Nameberry Top 1000.</a> For more ‘Berry-style’ choices, you could try Maisie, Daisy, Astrid, Romy, Blair or Marlowe.

Paisley

Peyton is a unisex surname that rose to fame in the 90s, with parents drawing inspiration from football star, Peyton Manning, and, oddly enough, from "Peyton Flanders", the villainess of the 1992 film, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Combining gentle sounds with contemporary style and the naughtiness of Peyton Place, the name remains a popular choice in the US today. 
 Derived from an English place name, Peyton could mean "Pæga's town" or "fighting man's estate", though other sources associate it with Patton and Patrick, giving it the meaning "nobleman's town". In tune with Avery, Paisley, and Harper - and an updated honor for Grandpa Patrick or Aunt Patricia - Peyton is in the US Top 200 and given to nearly 2000 girls every year.
 
Obscure until the 90s, solidly unisex in the early 2000s, a feminine-leaning, Top 100 choice in the 2010s, and now seemingly in decline, Peyton has had a turbulent time in the charts over the last three decades. 
 Whether it continues to fall or rise back up remains to be seen, but for now, it still feels like a familiar option, with namesakes ranging from the literary Peyton Loftis to the actress Peyton Roi List.

Peyton

Pistol is one of the new names that entered the lexicon in the US in 2013, when it was given to nine babies of each gender.  Call it an equal-opportunity badass baby name with an unfortunately violent image.

Pistol

Quincy is a Presidential surname name that actually sounds both cute and strong when used for a girl. For the first time ever, Quincy joined the Top 1000 roster for girls in 2023, given to over 250 baby girls that year.

The popularity of Quinn may have inspired the rise of Quincy for girls, but the two names have different roots. Quinn is an Irish surname while Quincy is one of several names drawn from the Latin word for the number five.

Quincy

An attractive North Carolina unisex place name, Raleigh's soft sound is particularly appropriate for a girl. 

Raleigh

This variation of Rowan, which is also a color name rhyming with Joan, is more popular for boys than girls, as are the other variations of the name. Rowan is the most popular spelling of the name for both genders, followed by Rowen, and then there's Rohan, Rohen, and so on.
 While we like the sleekness of the Roan version, it might create pronunciation confusion. Rowan makes the pronunciation clearer....unless you really do mean the color, used to describe the coats of horses and other animals that are white mixed with another tone such as red or chestnut.

Roan

This spirited Gaelic classic, which became popular in Ireland via the illustrious twelfth century king Rory O'Connor, makes a highly energetic choice, now used for either sex. Rory's gender split is still trending boyward; it's one of the coolest <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/r">boys' names starting with R</a>. 
 In England and Wales, however, the name is virtually never given to girls. It's seen as thoroughly male (and non-female) as Roger or Richard.
 Rory first came to attention in the US in the person of mid-century pin-up boy Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy). The name entered the popularity list in 1947, peaking at Number 280 in 1959. 
 Young Irish U.S. Open champ Rory Mcllroy makes a worthy namesake. Bill and Melinda Gates chose Rory as the name of their only son.
 Rory is a popular choice all throughout the UK. Skip baffling Gaelic spellings like Ruari and Ruaidhri and stick with the more straightforward Rory.

Rory

Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
 
The name has multiple origins, possibly deriving from the Irish Ruadhán, meaning “little redhead”, or from the names Rowena and Rhonwen, meaning “famous friend” and “white spear.” 
Alternatively, it might be taken from the rowan tree, a red-berried tree whose name derives from Old Norse and means “to redden.” In folklore and mythology, rowan trees are seen as a symbol of protection and of life, used to ward off evil. 
Rowan was an obscure name in the US before Brooke Shields chose it for her daughter in 2003. The name entered the US Top 1000 the same year and it’s been climbing in popularity ever since. Now, over 1000 girls are called Rowan every year, meaning for every 3 boys named Rowan, there’s 1 girl. 
Notable namesakes include the actress and activist, Rowan Blanchard, and Rowan Ellis, an author and Youtuber who makes video essays. In fiction, Rowan Mayfair is a powerful witch in Anne Rice’s novel The Witching Hour and Rowan Love is the quirky and creative older sister in Karen McCombie’s Ally’s World series.

Rowan

A unisex name, Rylan plays on many <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a>, including Ryan and Riley. For boys, the trendy Rylan rose from its entry to the US Top 1000 in 1997 all the way up to Number 146 in 2011, though it has since declined. For girls, the name is a more recent entrant, debuting on the list in 2009.

Rylan

Salem is a biblical place-name in Canaan, believed to be the same as Jerusalem. Americans may be more familiar with Salem as the name of the Massachusetts town famous for its witch trials in the late 1600s. It's also a popular Arabic name widely-used for both genders.

In the US, the name probably is chosen for its Biblical connection more often for girls, who make up more than half the babies named Salem. On the boys' side, the alternate Arabic version Salim is used about a third of the time, while for girls the feminine Arabic versions of the name Salima and Salimah, are also found.

The Salem cigarette brand folded in 2019, removing that negative association for the next generation.

Salem

Sawyer is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">top unisex names</a>, used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne, currently on The Conners. 

Sawyer is is one of those newly-stylish occupational names that can work for either gender. If you want something with less brawn and more brains than Sawyer, try Sayer.

Sawyer

Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now grown middle daughter, followed by Tom Berenger a few years later. A unisex choice that is growing in popularity for both genders -- but given to girls about four times more often than to boys -- it was picked by skater Tai Babilonia for her son and Kerri Walsh for her daughter Scout Margery.
 It makes a virtuous, upstanding choice for a girl--a good scout. And though it hasn't made it onto any popularity lists, it's gone from slightly eccentric to mainstream.

Scout

Valora

Wyatt has been hot, which is to say cool, for several years now. With its easy Wyatt Earpish cowboy charm, it's relaxed but still highly respectable. 
 Wyatt is a lot more classic a name than you might guess. It's one of those names that just misses ranking in the Top 1000 for its entire 140+ year history.
 
Wyatt was derived from the Medieval English name Wyot, itself a form of the given name Wigheard, with wig meaning "war" and heard, "brave." Wyot, along with variations Wiot and Gyot, were also used by the Normans as nicknames for names such as William. Wyatt became a patronymic surname later in the Middle Ages.
 
Wyatt got one of it first modern pushes when Peter Fonda played a Wyatt in the seminal film "Easy Rider. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were among the first celebs to use Wyatt for their son born in 1986; more recently, singer Sheryl Crow chose it for her baby boy. Wyatt is also the name of the alter ego of a central character on the HBO show Westworld.
 
And even more recently, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher used the name for their baby daughter, perhaps pushing the name across the gender line, though it has a long way to go before it's considered unisex; it's still much more popular for boys than it is for girls. Does the baby name world have Wyette in its future?
 
Wyatt is also enjoying a wave of current popularity in Canada.

Wyatt

CDRUDISH's list "Rude Baby est.2021" of 71 great name ideas: Adyson - Wyatt!

Rude Baby est.2021

A Unique Names List Unisex baby names for a girl.

ETA. April 2021
Rude baby